Latest news with #JessePadulo
Global News
3 days ago
- Business
- Global News
Montreal barber shop threatened with $30K fine from Quebec language watchdog
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook The owner of a barber shop in Montreal's Saint-Leonard borough feels he is an unfair target of Quebec's OQLF French language watchdog. The owner of the Corner Shop barbershop has been warned several times that he is violating the law for not only his outdoor signage, but also his English posts on social media. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Jesse Padulo says the provincial government has warned him that he has until July 29 to change his sign or else he will face a fine of $30,000. Padulo told Global News inspectors from the OQLF showed up about six months ago following a complaint over his sign. As Global's Elizabeth Zogalis reports, the language watchdog also began targeting his social media posts. For the full story, watch the video above.
Montreal Gazette
4 days ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Quebec language watchdog targets barber for ‘too much English' — on sign, website, even Instagram
When Jesse Padulo opened The Corner Shop barber business in Montreal's St-Léonard neighbourhood, he never imagined his biggest challenge would be Quebec's language watchdog. 'I've been open a year,' he said. 'Six months in, the watchdogs came.' Since then, the 42-year-old father of six says he's been hounded by the language office over everything from his store signage to his online presence. He's taken down his website, removed his 'open' sign and started adding French subtitles to his Instagram posts, all in an effort to comply with demands he says keep changing. At the heart of the dispute is Bill 96, Quebec's sweeping language law passed in 2022. It gives the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) expanded powers to ensure businesses prioritize French. 'They said my shop was too much English. I said: 'OK, no problem. So what do we do?' They told me to contact them. I think it was March. I said: 'I don't work for you. I'm not going to contact you. Contact me. I'm running a business.' And they never contacted me,' Padulo said. 'Then I got two more letters saying my website had too much English, so I shut it down. Then they sent me another letter saying I'm too loud on Instagram with my English. Since when do you have jurisdiction over a public platform? 'They didn't really know how to answer me,' he added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pads the barber (@the__pad) But Padulo believes the complaints began shortly after he started speaking openly about his Christian faith online. A devout Christian, he named the shop in reference to the Bible's 'cornerstone.' 'The cornerstone in the Bible was the stone of the community. We're a community barber that we're trying to teach kids how to barber, about the Lord, you know, good values — and that's where the name came from,' he said. 'We're not even on a corner,' he added. Now, Padulo says he feels stuck after being told he must change the sign out front. That would cost him about $4,000 — money he says he doesn't have. But if he doesn't, he could face fines of up to $30,000 per day, which would force him to close the store. His sign already includes French, but Padulo says the OQLF told him that wasn't enough. 'They said the French has to be bigger than the English.' He points out all his customers are English-speaking, making the changes feel forced and out of touch with the reality of his business. He's planning to launch a GoFundMe campaign this week to help cover the costs. 'People know me here,' he said. 'The community supports me. What I don't get is why I'm being punished for serving the people who actually come through the door.' Padulo has a phone call scheduled with the OQLF this afternoon. 'I'm not expecting good news,' he said. 'I'm not the problem,' he said. 'I just want to run a business, not fight a government.' The OQLF did not respond to The Gazette's request for comment before publication time. But in a statement to CTV News, the watchdog said that online videos must be in French, adding: 'They may also be in other languages, provided that they are accessible in French under conditions that are at least as favourable.' This story was originally published July 18, 2025 at 4:40 PM.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
St-Léonard barber battles OQLF over English signs, social media
A St-Léonard barbershop owner says the OQLF is targeting his business over English content on his storefront and Instagram. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual A St-Léonard barbershop owner says he's spending as much time dealing with Quebec's language watchdog as he is cutting hair, after being flagged for using English on both his storefront and Instagram account. Jesse Padulo, who opened the Corner Shop barbershop a little more than a year ago, said inspectors from the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) first showed up at his business about six months ago. 'It's been rough ever since. So instead of me cutting hair I'm going back and forth with emails and trying to run my business,' Padulo said. He says the OQLF initially took issue with his outdoor sign, before focusing on his Instagram content. In a letter, the language watchdog cited Article 52 of the French Language Charter, which prohibits publishing commercial content on social media in a language other than French. In a statement to CTV News, the OQLF said that even videos have to be in French. 'They may also be in other languages, provided that they are accessible in French under conditions that are at least as favourable,' the watchdog said. Padulo also has a file for his outdoor sign because the OQLF says French must take up twice as much space as other languages, and non-compliance could result in hefty fines, reaching as much as $30,000 a day. 'I'm here to give a haircut, not a French lesson. If you walk in, 'Bonjour/hi, qu'est-ce que tu veux, what would you like?' I'll do it in both languages,' he said. The OQLF confirmed that it had received a complaint regarding Padulo's signage, adding that it was currently being processed. 'One fine and I close the doors, and I go on welfare.' Padulo said he is currently stuck in limbo and unsure what the next problem will be. 'I'm feeling stressed because I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, how can I give this service to my clients? So, what happens? Everything just decreases because they walk in and I'm not the same Jesse,' he said. Padulo noted that he will not be changing his storefront sign.
